1Associate Professor, Ramaiah Medical College (RMC), Bangalore, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, Paschim Burdwan, West Bengal, India
3Specialist Medical Officer Pediatrics, Bihar Government, India
4Junior Resident, Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a major cause of preventable childhood blindness. Improvements in neonatal survival in developing countries have increased the number of preterm infants at risk, including those with relatively higher birth weights. Identification of local incidence and risk factors is essential for optimizing screening strategies.
Objective: To determine the incidence of ROP and identify associated perinatal and neonatal risk factors among infants weighing less than 1800 g in a tertiary care center.
Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted over 12 months in the ROP clinic of a tertiary hospital in eastern India. Two hundred preterm infants with birth weight <1800 g underwent serial ophthalmic examinations using indirect ophthalmoscopy. Data on oxygen exposure, metabolic parameters, perinatal status, and neonatal morbidities were recorded. Statistical associations between these variables and development of ROP were analyzed.
Results: ROP was detected in 56 of 200 infants, giving an incidence of 28%. Among infants weighing 1501–1800 g, 24.76% developed ROP. Most cases were Stage 1 (46.45%) or Stage 2 (42.85%), and no infant had plus disease. Oxygen therapy showed strong association with ROP; affected infants had higher maximum oxygen saturation, lower minimum saturation, and longer duration of oxygen exposure (p<0.05). Hyperglycemia and lower APGAR scores at one and five minutes were significantly associated with ROP. Respiratory distress syndrome, apnea of prematurity, septicemia, anemia, and need for blood transfusion were also significantly more common in infants who developed ROP. No association was observed with surfactant therapy, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus, or maternal risk factors.
Conclusion: ROP affected more than one-fourth of preterm infants, including a substantial proportion with birth weight above 1500 g. Careful oxygen monitoring, metabolic stability, and early identification of high-risk neonates are critical for preventing disease progression. Screening protocols in similar settings may need to include heavier infants.
Keywords: Retinopathy of prematurity; prematurity; low birth weight; oxygen therapy; neonatal risk factors; hyperglycemia; APGAR score; anemia; blood transfusion; neonatal intensive care.
How to cite this article: Bhatti A, Poireiton A, Tripti A, Ali A. Incidence and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Infants <1800 g: A Tertiary Care Study from West Bengal. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(6s): 893-899; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.6s.118
Source of support: None
Conflict of interest: None